Her Synthetic Heart
by Artemia Fae
Summary: How can you fall in love with a robot? How can you not? Love is all about taking risks and that's true for Edward and Bella. In an alternate universe where androids live among humans, Bella, an advanced model falls in love with a human. It's still taboo, however, but nothing can stop their love, except maybe the rise of a robot revolution and a world on the brink of war.
1. Prologue

_**A/N:**_ **Hey guys! So I wanted to write a Twilight fanfic for so long but never got inspired. This is based off of a novel I wrote a long time ago that I wanted to change up a bit.**

 **If you've clicked out of interest, thank you! I hope you enjoy it and end up sticking around for more!**

 **Without further ado, here it is!**

* * *

I never wanted to fight—not in a senseless battle where the certain victor was wrath. Despite my inner reservations, I wasn't going to let it end like this.

Somewhere in the darkest, furthest recesses of my mind, a thought escaped—I was probably already too late. But I shoved it aside—the battle wasn't over yet. Not for me. I would fight with all the strength I had left.

Across from me, amidst the sea of chaos and calamity, stood the bloodthirsty mechanical monster. He wore a dark, sadistic grin as he anticipated my suffering by his hands, my kneeling at his feet.

I could almost return his smile. If I wasn't currently scrambling across the large span of warring bodies—both human and machine alike—to reach him I would have thrown him a deceptively benevolent grin of my own. I knew him and I loved him. Even now, that would never change.

I forgot that I was supposed to be unbiased, strong in my self-regard—a heroine sure of herself and her duty. I forgot that such stupid, despicable thoughts were supposed to be beneath me. There was so much on the line now. There was no more room for sentimentality.

I was risking so much by being here. And yet, it was too late to turn back, no matter how fiendish this battle was reducing me to.

I didn't care about the outcome—which victor would emerge triumphant. It didn't matter to me.

The truth was, in this black hour, I would only be guilty of one death. The annihilation of one enemy. It had to mean something.

Violence, which was never the answer for anything, would not only be the right answer today, it would be the only answer.

I closed my eyes, and I was suddenly grateful that I could shut myself away from the horror for a few seconds. The wind whipped across my face as I gained momentum—a warning that I was going too fast.

Dad's voice echoed in my head, just promise me you'll stay safe…

I was probably going to die. I would never get a chance to see him again, to say goodbye, to remember him as I should. I would have preferred to see my father again before my inevitable demise.

This was for a good cause. I had to believe that. I was risking my life for them.

I didn't give the horrible agony of knowing that I would not have the luxury of seeing my family again the chance to tear me apart. The end was coming sooner than I had planned. In fact, I was probably going to collide right into it.

I smiled to myself, as if I were enjoying my own private joke, and picked up the pace.

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 _ **A/N:**_ **See you soon! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Greece

_**A/N:**_ **Here it is! Chapter One.**

 **Do enjoy!**

* * *

Greece

An image of the rain mercilessly beating against the rooftops of my neighbors' houses and showering our street with its frigid water was the parting gift New York decided to give me. As far as farewells went, this could have been worse.

"Do you really have to go?" my father, Charlie, asked.

His deep frown did not lift. He stood there at the doorway, watching me with his mournful brown eyes.

I took my bag from him and, as I had a hundred times that week, curved my lips into an apologetic smile. The freezing rain lashed against the outside pavement, blowing an icy mist through the open front door. A few drops sprayed my face, but I didn't mind. I liked the rain—I was used to it. Manhattan had such unpredictable weather, even with all the constant advancements made to technology. New York's weather had the tendency to still do whatever the hell it wanted.

Could I ever get used to a place where Mother Nature behaved herself? Would it be better or worse?

"Sorry, Dad," I said. I knew he'd somehow try to convince me to stay, a decision I had deliberated countless times in the last few days,but ultimately denied. "I want to go. I'm eighteen, and it's time I gained a little independence."

"But, Bella," he argued. "This is your home." Shivering, he moved to close the exterior door, immediately blocking out the freezing rain, and once again shutting me away from the outside world. Though this time, he couldn't hold me for long.

I turned around to face him then, just as Alice bounced down the hallway to stand several feet away. Instantly, bitterness overcame me and my grip on the handle of my bag grew tighter.

"You'll always have Alice," I countered, trying to say the words as gently as possible, though after one look at his confused expression, I knew that I had failed. "I mean, you'll have your hands full with her, at the very least. I bet you won't even miss me." A lump rose in my throat, and I tried to swallow it down. Charlie finally invented two bots that would take him to roboticist super stardom, I was sure of it. He would be fully preoccupied. Having me around no longer made sense. There was nothing I could do that my siblings, Emmett and Alice, couldn't do better. The only reason he would even think to keep me around would be because I was his first A.W. I., Android with Innervation, and sitting around for that pity party wasn't a very appealing prospect.

So, I would go where I could finally live a life free from my siblings' shadows. It was a good reason to leave because I would finally see Mykonos, Greece. It would be my first time venturing so far from home. And though I was terrified, I was also thrilled.

I'd always wanted to see the world, but Charlie was perpetually overprotective and had refused to let me go any farther than New York's state line. Now, as our house was getting a bit full, it was the perfect opportunity for me to leave the nest.

Besides, my Uncle Carlisle lived on one of the most beautiful islands in the whole world! When I had confessed my troubles to him over the phone, his enthusiastic invitation to join him at his lovely home had only made the idea even more appealing.

My father's mouth fell open and his eyes widened dramatically."What do you mean? Of course I'll miss you!" He threw me into a hug, gripping me as tightly as he could. It was a good thing that I didn't need air to breathe, because with the force of his hug all the wind would certainly have been knocked out of me.

I felt the tears rise and then spill over, long past my control now. I cursed him silently for building me with tear ducts. I wasn't a good enough liar to convince myself that I wasn't going to miss him just as much. And, of course, Emmett too.

He cooed and wiped at my face.

"You can stay, honey. You don't have to go," he urged.

"No," I whispered. "I need to do this. It will be okay." I hated how terribly weak I sounded, especially since I wanted him to understand just how positive this major step was going to be for me.

"But a whole other country might be too much for you." He was starting to sound desperate now.

"I'll be fine," I croaked. Before he could argue with me any further, I turned to Alice, who was hovering behind Charlie, watching us both curiously. "Goodbye, Al," I said, trying to sound less pathetic than I felt. I don't think it worked.

My sister peered into my eyes before leaning down to wrap her slender arms around me."Are you really going to do this? It seems a bit extreme," she asked, her cautious, amethyst eyes scanning my face.

I nodded. "I just want to help Uncle Carlisle out; I'll probably leave when I see that he's doing better."

Alice's brow furrowed. She was confused, but that was to be expected from her. I supposed she always found me eccentric, odd, and nothing short of ridiculous. But now, her eyes shone with an intensity I had never seen directed at me before. "You promise you'll call?"

I blinked, temporarily stunned. I didn't expect her to actually care. But then again, we were sisters, after all.

"Yes, I promise," I said, trying to reassure both her and Charlie too since he was quite obviously listening.

"Well, my cab's waiting," I said, pulling out of her grip to stare out of the open door at the yellow car parked in front of our brownstone. "I was hoping to see Emmett before I left." I sighed. He and I got along better than I did with Alice. He was the best older brother, and we did everything together. Leaving him behind felt like a betrayal.

"I'm here," came his voice from the back of the house. It was only a matter of seconds before he came barreling toward us to tug me into a full embrace. "I'm going to miss you, Bells."

The lump rose in my throat again. "You know I'm going to miss you too." Hugging him back as tightly as I could, I let the tears fall again. "Take care of yourself," I told him, pulling out of the embrace to address Alice as well. "And please take care of Dad."

"We will," they said in unison.

Charlie leaned down to kiss me on the forehead. "I'm so proud of the person you are, Bella."

"Thank you," I told him. I took one last long look around our townhouse. With its rustic interior, photos of each of us hanging on the walls, and the old lamp I had accidentally broken that Charlie had expertly put back together, it was something sacred to me. I was going to miss the inviting, familiar smell of cherries that clung to the atmosphere. I would miss everything.

But it was too late to turn back now. I made my decision. I squeezed Charlie's hand as he solemnly walked me to the cab.

* * *

I could barely stay still in my seat. My mind refused to calm. As my trembling fingers tapped an unsteady rhythm on my thighs, I tried not to think too much about what I was doing. What I had done.

A small part of me wanted to escape the plane and return home, defying the other part of me, the larger part that wanted this adventure. Yet, I knew that turning back now would be a mistake; it would only prove to Charlie that I wasn't ready to leave, that I might never be ready. I couldn't have him turning New York, the only city I'd ever known, into my prison.

So, I willed myself to think positive thoughts and unwind and—to my surprise—it worked. By the time the plane left the tarmac, I was composed. As we rose higher and higher, I found myself glued to the window, watching as the beautiful city became a speck on a much larger backdrop.

This was it; I couldn't turn back now even if I wanted to.

* * *

I must have zoned out, or my mainframe must have lapsed into a momentary stasis, because the next thing I was aware of was a flight attendant asking me to put my seat back into its former position.

"We'll be landing soon," she said, giving me a kind smile.

Which could only mean… I glanced out of my window and the view left me temporarily stunned.

Shining bright and bold like the stars in a summer night stood the city of Mykonos. For a brief moment, the nervousness threatening to consume me again escaped, and a wave of possibility rushed over me. Like a spark keeping me alive, the knowledge that I was free to become anything I wanted here hit me just as hard as the reality that this city was just as likely to bowl me over and leave me breathless.

Like New York, it held promise, but also something more.

Another taxi was waiting for me when I left the airport. My head was whirling with relief to finally be off the stifling aircraft.

The cab driver, an android, stepped out and took my suitcases. "Hello," I greeted him.

To my surprise, he didn't reply, until I remembered what Charlie had said about some robots only programmed to perform their most basic functions. _You might find it a little unsettling, but that's the way it is, sweetheart. Especially in less technologically advanced parts of the world._

It was the first time I had ever encountered a non-talking android. What would life have been like if I couldn't speak? I supposed I could adapt. I'd learn to communicate somehow. How fortunate we were that Charlie wanted androids around him who were as close to human beings as possible.

I stepped into the car, and we sped away from the airport parking lot. It was warmer here; I had to tie my sweater around my waist and lower my window. The moist air carried with it the salty scent of the sea, but there was also a hint of something herbal like bay leaves or oregano. I took in a huge breath, savoring the foreign yet enchanting scent.

Gold, glittering lights illuminated my face as we drove past buildings filled with busy, smiling people. I leaned my head farther out of the car, eager to witness everything.

As the car zipped past Paradise Beach, music thundered from the villas and nightclubs cresting the shore. We passed a resort where a couple of people sat outside on the sand and they waved at the cab as it stopped at a red light. I waved back, giving them a cheerful smile. Rarely did I encounter friendly people in NYC—it was a pleasant change of pace. Apparently, Mykonos did have one thing in common with the Big Apple: they were both cities that never slept. We seldom passed a building shut down for the night. I wondered where all the attractions were for someone like me who wasn't as interested in the nightlife, but rather the daytime aspects of the city.

I wanted to ask my cab driver so many questions, but it would be pointless to. If only these taxis came with tour guides as well.

The car eventually slowed down as we finally arrived at what was to be my new home in the village of Chora. I stretched my head out of the window, eager to get a view of the massive Cycladic villa dubbed Asclepion.

It was like nothing I'd ever seen. Huge, majestic, and white, spanning across the majority of the hill it stood on. Asclepion was more like a palace fit for a royal lineage. It commanded a glorious view of the Aegean Sea—its waves now silver against the black backdrop of night-darkened water. The crisp, balmy scent of the ocean was even stronger up here. Outside of the internet and TV, I'd never seen a house so… extraordinary. I began to wonder if it was somehow a figment of my imagination. That if I blinked or approached it too hastily, it would disappear.

My courteous cab driver parked the car and hopped out. Silently, he opened my door for me and fetched my bags.

I thanked him, smiling politely, and followed as he led me to the large blue doors of the entrance. Paying no more attention to me than required of him, he rang the doorbell.

Within seconds the doors swung open revealing the enormous foyer and no one in sight.

"I can take it from here," I told the android, reaching for my bags. Thanking him once more, I waved goodbye and shut the doors behind me.

"Uncle Carlisle?" I called. "Edward?"

I didn't receive an answer.

I wondered if Uncle Carlisle had fallen asleep, though that couldn't be possible if he was expecting me. He had promised my dad he'd be here waiting. Was Edward around? Or was he on the beach, drinking in the nightlife? I hoped I'd get to see him soon. When he and Aunt Rosalie were only seventeen, they got engaged, secretly. Charlie and Uncle Carlisle had been less than pleased.

To me, Edward hadn't seemed like the type to do something so rash; he was always detached. To this day, no matter how many times Uncle Carlisle or Charlie had confirmed the story, I still had a hard time believing its validity.

Then again, it wasn't too far from moving all the way across the world at eighteen. I was obviously in no position to judge.

I supposed I should at least try to look for Edward and Uncle Carlisle. It would definitely save me some guesswork.

I took a long look around the room, lining the white walls of the foyer were paintings of the Greek seaside hung up in gilded frames. The upscale furniture had a white, aqua, and chrome theme. Overhead, high above, bathing the room in moonlight was a dome ceiling with glass apertures. I admired the visible full moon and all the twinkling stars. There were more stars than I'd ever seen in my life. I had caught glimpses of the sky from the taxi's window but for some reason, the stars were more fascinating from this angle.

I gazed at the view for a moment when someone cleared their throat behind me, making me jump.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, Bella," Edward said, greeting me with a smile. "Carlisle asked me to check and see if you'd arrived." His lips tilted at the corners as he smirked, amused, watching me as I stood patiently in the middle of the room—a force of habit I tended to slip into when I was in a new environment.

"Why don't you make yourself at home?"

"I'm afraid to touch anything," I said, only half-joking. "It all looks so ritzy."

Edward waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Please, don't be ridiculous. Our oikos is your oikos."

I grinned and moved to hug him. "It's great seeing you again, Edward."

He hugged me back. "Same here, Bella." Pulling away, I studied his face. His eyes were no longer tired and tortured, and his skin had a healthier sheen than the last time I'd seen him.

It was only six months ago that we were at Pengrove Cemetery, watching as the last rose was placed on Aunt Rosalie's coffin. They weren't fond memories at all.

"It looks like Greece has been good to you," I told him honestly.

"It has, Bella! It took a bit of adjusting; as you can see it's like living a century behind the Western part of the world, but it grows on you. It's definitely a charmed life."

"I could get used to this." I smiled, glancing back up at the moon.

"Here, let me take your bags," he offered. "I think the grand tour is in order."

Leading me to several more rooms in the house, each as equally large as the other and no less extravagant, Edward concluded the tour in the giant expanse they called a living area.

"Impressive," I admitted. "I think I'm seriously going to like it here."

He nodded. "Glad to hear that. Maybe in the morning, you can go down to the beach. It's surreal at dawn."

He moved to open the balcony doors of the living room where the ocean and all its splendid glory was in perfect view. The faint, hushed shhhs of the waves as they broke along the shore soon followed, as well as the inescapable salty aroma of the sea.

I joined him, basking in the view.

"Carlisle is setting up your room. He's more excited than I've ever seen him. We're both really happy to have you here, Bella," Edward explained.

"I'm really excited to be here, and of course, I can't wait to see him, either." I meant it. It had been way too long since I had last seen Uncle Carlisle, and I missed him.

He chuckled. "I'll go see if he needs any help. We have an old DVD player and there's WIFI, but I'm afraid that's the extent of the technological luxuries. Still, get comfortable." He walked away, but I didn't leave the balcony. Cicadas chirped in the distance and the stars reflecting off the water below sparkled like diamonds in a pool of onyx. I was reluctant to leave the whole scene.

"Bella?" my uncle called.

I spun around and there he was watching me with buoyant blue eyes. "Uncle Carlisle!" I squealed, wrapping him in my arms.

"Bella, it's so good seeing you again! How was your flight? And what do you think of Mykonos so far?" he asked as he pulled away.

I grinned, wide and toothy. "It was my first time being on a plane, so it was a bit nerve-wracking, but I'm happy to be here. It's beautiful."

My uncle shook his head. "You haven't seen anything yet. Just wait until the sun's up."

I smiled. I couldn't wait to see Mykonos in daylight.

I took a good look at my uncle. He was taller than my father and was a little slimmer. Though they both possessed the same soulful stare and tender smile, Uncle Carlisle was nowhere near as socially inept as Charlie. He had an air of sophistication to him that intrigued me.

Though they had different physical features, Charlie, Aunt Rosalie, and Uncle Carlisle were similar in looks. It's why Charlie never wanted to blend in for long. He had told me he always felt invisible in a family where everyone looked similar. His ceaseless urge to stand out was his major reasoning behind growing a mustache, dying his hair black, ditching his English accent, and moving miles away to New York. It was a rebellious streak he had never outgrown.

Someone cleared their throat behind Uncle Carlisle and I turned to look. We weren't alone. There was a short, fair-skinned woman with long golden brown hair standing on the flokati rug across from us, patiently waiting for acknowledgement.

"Oh, forgive me, where are my manners?" Uncle Carlisle exclaimed. "Esme, this is Bella, my niece."

I shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," she said. "I've heard so much about you. All good things, of course."

"Esme's a longtime friend of mine," Uncle Carlisle explained. "She works at a resort in Ano Mera."

"Your uncle's a trip." Her grin exposed pretty white teeth. "He tells me you're an android." There was a hint of skepticism in her tone and her eyes squinted at the word 'android'.

I nodded. I raised my arm in the air and showed her the compartment where I stored the microchips I relied on to function. "He's right."

She balked. "So it is true?"

"Yep."

"But how? You can speak."

"Western technological advancements in science made that possible."

A huge smile broke across her face. "How cool!" Then, her voice fell down to a hushed whisper. "Some of the locals here don't take too kindly to androids. They believe the rumors of a robot rebellion."

I smiled, but dread settled in my core. Would that mean I wouldn't have such a warm welcome from the residents? Would they wait outside for me with pitchforks and torches the second they learned I wasn't human?

Uncle Carlisle must have sensed my unease because he came to my side. "Don't worry, Bella. You won't come across many of those paranoid…" He made a face as he trailed off. "And it's not as backwards as you think. There are some really great people here—Esme for instance."

"You'll feel at home here in no time," Esme reassured me.

"I hope so," I told her.

Quizzing Quintuplets, the popular game show Charlie enjoyed, came on TV. Uncle Carlisle and Esme, chattering excitedly, sat down to watch it. I wanted to call Charlie and also check my email, but my phone wasn't getting any service here. I had expected that, but it wasn't as if I had a backup one.

What I did have, however, was my laptop. After asking Edward—who was busy tapping away on his cell, half-listening to the show and whispering the correct answers—where my room was, I went to get my computer.

My bedroom was simply spectacular. It was huge, blue and white, and had a balcony overlooking the beach. I took a few pictures with my phone and hurried to my suitcase. Getting my laptop out, I zipped back downstairs.

There was a particularly long email from Charlie, asking me a bunch of questions about my trip and expressing how terribly he missed me. I felt a pang of sorrow—already I missed his theatrics.

There was one from Emmett talking about a new movie he had discovered that he recommended I watch. A rather short one from Alice, a lot of junk mail, and a single message with the subject, written in all caps: PLEASE SAY SOMETHING, BELLA.

I replied to my family, filling them in with as much detail as I could and sending my love. And then I archived that last one. I wouldn't reply to him. Not here. Not now. Not ever. Powering off my laptop and closing the lid, I joined Esme on the couch and willed myself to pay attention to the show.

Seeing that email only made me more determined to forget and luckily, I was far enough away that I could. Well, so I hoped.

* * *

The time passed with alarming speed, but I wasn't aware of how late it was until Esme rose to leave and my uncle walked her to the door. The white clock on the wall read eleven thirty.

"I guess I should go to bed before my system starts shutting down," I joked, half-serious.

Uncle Carlisle smiled at me. "Of course, dear. We have lots of catching up to do, but it can wait until morning."

I nodded, agreeing, and wished him and Edward good night.

In my bed, I waited for my agitated circuits to prepare for rest mode, and then I shut my eyes and powered down.

* * *

 _ **A.N:**_ **Thank you for reading! Watch out for updates as I'll be updating this every week! Love you all!**


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